You'd Choose Life
by ThatOCLady
Summary: The Serious Crimes Unit is giving Jane the silent treatment. He thinks it's because he messed up on their recent case. But that can't be reason enough to make Lisbon cry. Jane finds out who is behind her tears. One-shot.


Disclaimer: I do not own _The Mentalist_ or its characters.

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 **You'd Choose Life**

"Lisbon, come on"  
Patrick Jane followed Lisbon into her office. He had messed up royally this time.  
"Okay. This is very mature", he sulked.  
His boss was giving him the silent treatment. Apparently, calling the Attorney General's niece an adulteress and murderer in the middle of an elite social gathering wasn't in vogue these days. But hey, her lover had confessed to killing her husband in a fit of rage. Granted that the repercussions were harsh and the AG had _severely reprimanded_ Lisbon for not being in control of her team (her consultant, actually). It was all part of her job though. She should have just thrown a stapler at him and gotten over it.  
"I'm going to go someplace where my contribution to crime-fighting is vocally appreciated"  
Jane stepped out of the office and entered the bullpen. Cho was reading something on his computer screen while Rigsby dunked a paper-ball in the waste basket near his friend's chair. Jane made straight for Van Pelt's desk to try and fish for a compliment on the latest case.  
"Hey, Grace", he said.  
She readily ignored him and answered the telephone before her. Jane rolled his eyes and turned to the other two.  
"Don't tell me this is a team activity"  
Seemed like it was. No one paid as much as a sideways glance to him. Grace announced,  
"We caught one in Nevada. Triple homicide"  
Rigsby volunteered,  
"I'll tell the boss"  
Before he could ask for details, Cho and Van Pelt had grabbed their jackets and firearms, and headed towards the elevator. Even Rigsby passed him by without a word. Jane grumbled and walked to his couch.  
"Very well. I'm just going to lie here till I'm needed"  
He kept his eyes focused on Lisbon's office. Within a minute, she came striding out of it. Jane was glad that she didn't storm off like the others but he closed his eyes anyway. She stood in the corridor outside the bullpen, staring at him lying on the couch. He was playing hard.  
"Can I help you with something?", he asked.  
Her response was to sigh and look away. Jane caught up with her, regretting his cheekiness.  
"Okay, Lisbon. I'll come. You don't have to say please"  
He was bored. And a crime scene would sure force his colleagues to break their vow of silence.  
"You guys go ahead. I'm taking the rest of the day off. Cho, you're in charge"  
Lisbon walked back towards her office, leaving Jane dumbfounded. She must've been seriously pissed to avoid him so. Cho, Rigsby and Grace shared a look and boarded the elevator.

It was five in the evening when Lisbon's car stopped outside her building. Jane listened as her feet stomped up the two flights of stairs to her apartment. He had decided the better course of action was to not break in and wait for her instead. He would've brought a reparation gift but Lisbon wasn't a flowers-gal. His favorite choice of present for her was jewellery, but she wasn't comfortable with expensive gifts either. So there he stood, bowing his head in a show of shame.  
"Lisbon"  
She unlocked the door to her apartment and before she could slam it shut into his face, Jane entered after her.  
"I know I messed up... will you even listen to me?"  
She had walked away. He was getting annoyed now. Lisbon was pretending like he didn't exist. But why, if she was so angry, had she let him in?  
Angry people didn't sob though.  
Jane bolted for her bedroom, not bothering to knock, and found her sitting on the bed. Teresa was crying, hiding her face from him with her hands.  
"Lisbon?", his voice quavered.  
She wiped her tears but couldn't stop them. Jane would have thrown himself at his feet if that would've helped.  
"Lisbon, please", he pleaded.  
"Why, Jane? Why?", she whimpered.  
He too was crying now. Before he could reach forward and touch her, Lisbon took a deep breath and wiped her face with one brisk sweep of the hand. Jane could only watch as she approached the blank white board near her wardrobe and flipped it to the other side. He saw what was on it and turned colder than his corpse.

It was her study of Red John, with a newspaper clipping at the center about how he had gruesomely murdered his nemesis Patrick Jane. Lisbon stared at the white board, her face devoid of all the emotions he had loved witnessing. In that moment, Jane saw Teresa for what she had become – an empty shell of a person, whom nothing but vengeance could sustain - _him_. And there wasn't a thing he could do about it now.

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A/N: Yes, it is _The Mentalist_ meets _Sixth Sense_. If I'd said that before, it'd have spoiled the whole thing. :P  
Anyway, could you check out my other story _The Angry Princess and the Thief Who Stole Her Tiara_? It needs some reviews. Feedback is sincerely appreciated. Thanks. :)


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